Drama Movies 2013 List

With Carlos Reygadas

Post Tenebras Lux (“light after darkness”), ostensibly the story of an upscale, urban family whose move to the Mexican countryside results in domestic crises and class friction, is a stunningly photographed, impressionistic psychological portrait of a family and their place within the sublime, unforgiving natural world. Reygadas conjures a host of unforgettable, ominous images: a haunting sequence at dusk as Reygadas’s real-life daughter wanders a muddy field and farm animals loudly circle and thunder and lightning threaten; a glowing-red demon gliding through the rooms of a home; a husband and wife visiting a swingers’ bathhouse with rooms named after famous philosophers.

With Shriya Saran • Rajat Kapoor • Seema Biswas • Deepa Mehta • David Hamilton • Shabana Azmi • Salman Rushdie • Satya Bhabha • Shahana Goswami

At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, as India proclaims independence from Great Britain, two newborn babies are switched by a nurse in a Bombay hospital. Saleem Sinai, the illegitimate son of a poor woman, and Shiva, the offspring of a wealthy couple, are fated to live the destiny meant for each other. Their lives become mysteriously intertwined and are inextricably linked to India's whirlwind journey of triumphs and disasters.

With Alexander Skarsgard • Julianne Moore • Steve Coogan • David Siegel • Scott McGehee • Diana García • Carroll Cartwright • Emma Holzer • Joanna Vanderham

Delves into the effect of a bitter divorce on a couple's 6-year-old daughter.

With Barlow Jacobs • David Call • Jared Moshe • Clare Bowen • Joseph Lyle Taylor

Set in 1870 in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, Dead Man's Burden is the story of Martha (newcomer Clare Bowen) and her husband Heck (David Call), who are struggling to make ends meet on the rural New Mexico frontier. When a mining company expresses interest in buying their land, Martha and Heck see their ticket to a better life. Their hopeful plans are soon complicated when Martha’s oldest brother Wade (Barlow Jacobs), presumed dead during the war, returns to the family homestead after learning of their father’s death..

With Marguerite Moreau • David Giuntoli • Adam Christian Clark • Bitsie Tulloch • Valerie Azlynn

On a celebratory birthday trip, Caroline visits her sister, Jackie, and her boyfriend. What starts out as a fun evening with close friends quickly goes askew. Caroline and the group attempt to support Jackie for an apparent illness—though it's unclear who really needs the most help.

With Olivier Assayas

In the months after the heady weeks of May ’68, a group of young people search for a way to continue the revolution believed to be just beginning. For Gilles (newcomer Clément Mettayer), this means having to balance his political commitments with his desire to explore painting and filmmaking; for his girlfriend Christine (Goodbye, First Love star Lola Créton), this means throwing herself wholeheartedly into the task of organizing.

With Keanu Reeves • Nicolas Chartier • Lemore Syvan • Alison Palmer • Jared Goldman • Bojana Novakovic • Caroline Kaplan • Adelaide Clemens • Mark L. Mann

E.B. White wrote “You have to come to New York prepared to be lucky.” generation Um… is a day-in the-life portrait of what life in the city comes to when you’ve waited too long for your dreams to come true. The end of another night out sets the stage for an intimate unfolding of the relationships John, Violet and Mia have, with each other and the city around them. As the day fades into night, secrets are revealed, compromises are made, loneliness is acknowledged, laughter is cherished, lies are dispelled and disappointment is dealt with - and the unusual circumstance that binds these three late-night characters together comes into focus.

With Michael Rapaport • Milo Ventimiglia • Riley Keough • Roxane Mesquida • Anna Mouglalis • Xan Cassavetes • Josephine de LaBaume

Beautiful vampire Djuna (Josephine de La Baume) tries to resist the advances of the handsome, human screenwriter Paolo (Milo Ventimiglia), but eventually gives in to their passion. When her troublemaker sister Mimi (Roxane Mesquida) unexpectedly comes to visit, Djuna’s love story is threatened, and the whole vampire community becomes endangered...

With Imogen Poots • Penn Badgley • David Brendel • Norbert Leo Butz • Dan Algrant • Emma Sheanshang • Frank Wood • Ben Rosenfield • Jessica Stone • Bill Sadler • Frank Bello

In 1991, a young musician named Jeff Buckley (Penn Badgley) rehearses for his public singing debut at a Brooklyn tribute show for his father, the late folk singer Tim Buckley. Struggling with the legacy of a man he barely knew, Jeff finds solace in a relationship with a young woman (Imogen Poots) working at the show. As they explore New York City, their adventures recall glimpses of Tim’s (Ben Rosenfield) 1960s heyday, as he drives cross-country with a girlfriend and finds himself on the verge of stardom.

With Adam Brody • Oscar Isaac • Kristen Wiig • Elijah Wood • Chadd Harbold • Gillian Jacobs • Ryan Phillippe • Brian Petsos

The film follows a man (Brian Petsos) who, with the help of his cousin (Gillian Isaac), seeks to avenge the death of his beloved dog, who was killed under confusing and suspicious circumstances. The two men follow a series of clues in an attempt to track down the dog’s murderer, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

With Leonardo DiCaprio • Carey Mulligan • Isla Fisher • Joel Edgerton • Callan McAuliffe • Tobey Maguire • Baz Luhrmann • Jason Clarke • Doug Wick • Lucy Fisher • Gemma Ward • Elizabeth Debicki • Craig Pearce • Amanda Luhrmann • Catherine Martin • Catherine Knapman

The Great Gatsby follows would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan. It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super-rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

With Dominic Purcell • Keith David • Michael Paré • John Heard • Lochlyn Munro • Edward Furlong • Erin Karpluk

A security guard for an armored truck, Jim (Dominic Purcell) is a blue-collar New Yorker who works hard to earn a living. His wages support himself and his wife Rosie (Erin Karpluk), who is on the upswing recovering from a near-fatal illness. Yet things start to fall apart after Rosie's health insurance stops covering her treatment and Jim's life savings are lost via a disastrous investment his stockbroker had advised him to make. As a row of professional and personal dominoes falls, Jim is confronted by the realization that, after being abused and exploited by financial institutions for far too long, he has only one choice: to strike back.

With Parker Posey • Callum Blue • Zack Bernbaum

Adan Kundle, CEO of a major advertising agency, is discovered unconscious in front of a wall of TVs. When he wakes in the hospital, Adan can only communicate through advertising slogans. There he meets Karen Hillridge, the hospital’s Head of Charity Foundation, who has a past history with Adan. Unable to stay in the hospital, and while waiting for long term care placement, Karen reluctantly decides to take Adan into her home for what is to be a few days. Through his ongoing and sometimes inappropriate slogans, Adan slowly begins to affect Karen and the dysfunctional relationship she has with her daughter Meghan. Karen gradually uncovers Adan’s background and his antagonistic business relationship with Lucas Foster, the president of the advertising agency that Adan owns. As Lucas moves closer to taking over the agency by attacking Adan’s mental capacity, Adan becomes more involved in helping Karen and Meghan mend their relationship.

With Tyler Posey • Harry Shum Jr. • David Henry Hwang • Margaret Cho • Joan Chen • Gregg Sulkin • Quentin Lee • B.D. Wong

Gregg Sulkin will play the son of a prominent lawyer who's distraught after the death of his best friend.

With Guy Pearce • Claudia Karvan • Pauline Chan • Zhu Lin • Elaine Jin

For 10 years Mei Mei (Zhu Lin), a 16 yr old Chinese orphan, dreams of meeting her Australian sponsor Dean Randall (Guy Pearce) and his ‘perfect family’. When her orphanage travels to Australia to attend the Australian Choir Festival Mei Mei takes the opportunity to look him up. What she finds, however, is far from the idyllic life he depicted in his postcards. Initially mismatched and disconnected the two begin a journey in search of belonging, family, redemption, love and acceptance.

With Alice Winocour • Vincent Lindon • Soko

In Belle Epoque Paris, 19-year-old kitchen maid Augustine suffers an inexplicable seizure that leaves her partially paralyzed and is shipped off to an all-female psychiatric hospital specializing in the then-fashionable ailment of 'hysteria'. Augustine captures the attention of renowned neurologist Dr. Charcot (Vincent Lindon) after she has another attack that appears to give her intense physical pleasure. Intrigued, he begins using her as his principal subject, hypnotizing her in front of his fellow doctors. As Augustine displays her spectacular fits in lecture halls, the lines between doctor and patient become blurred, radically impacting the course of both of their lives.

With Kim-Ki-Duk • Lee Jung-jin

In this intense and haunting story, a loan shark living an isolated and lonely existence uses brutality to threaten and collect paybacks from desperate borrowers for his moneylender boss. He proficiently and mercilessly collects the debts without regard to the pain he causes his countless victims. One day, a mysterious woman appears in front of him claiming to be his long-lost mother. After coldly rejecting her at first, he gradually accepts her in his life and decides to quit his cruel job and seek a decent, redemptive life. However, he soon discovers a dark secret stemming from his past and realizes it may be too late to escape the horrific consequences already set in motion from his previous life.

With Yiftach Klein • Irit Sheleg • Rama Burshtein • Chayim Sharir

Eighteen-year-old Shira is the youngest daughter of the family. She is about to be married off to a promising young man of the same age and background. It is a dream-come-true, and Shira feels prepared and excited.

On Purim, her twenty-eight-year-old sister, Esther, dies while giving birth to her first child. The pain and grief that overwhelm the family postpone Shira's promised match.

Everything changes when an offer is proposed to match Yochay – the late Esther's husband – to a widow from Belgium. Yochay feels it's too early, although he realizes that sooner or later he must seriously consider getting married again.

When the girls' mother finds out that Yochay may leave the country with her only grandchild, she proposes a match between Shira and the widower. Shira will have to choose between her heart’s wish and her family duty.

With Shannon Elizabeth • Ed O'Ross • Billy Zane • Annabella Sciorra • Nick Agiashvili

Van Vlahakis left Greece five decades ago with only $22 dollars in his pocket and headed for the U.S. hoping for a better future for his family. Eftichios (as is his Greek name), not only managed to live the American dream, but also created one of the largest environmentally safe concepts – Earth Friendly Products, now a US giant in eco-friendly products. His story covers his life as it transforms from immigrant to CEO of Earth Friendly Products. The story centers on the modern day Vlahakis who is diagnosed with cancer and given only few months to live. As he reflects on his early life as an immigrant during the 1950’s, he decides to push himself to the limit by closing one final business deal that will solidify his company’s success even if it means taking on one of the largest corporations on the planet.

With Ethan Hawke • Richard Linklater • Julie Delpy • Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick • Ariane Labed

The drama picks up with Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) two decades after their first meeting on a train bound for Venice. This time, the story of the star-crossed lovers takes place just before the clock strikes midnight.

With Janet McTeer • Margarethe von Trotta • Axel Milberg • Ulrich Noethen • Barbara Sukowa • Julia Jentsch • Michael Degen

A biopic of influential German-Jewish philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt. Arendt’s reporting on the 1961 trial of ex-Nazi Adolf Eichmann in The New Yorker—controversial both for her portrayal of Eichmann and the Jewish councils—introduced her now-famous concept of the “Banality of Evil.”

With Travis Fimmel • Eva Longoria • Virginia Madsen • Amanda Crew • Gary Magness • Madeline Zima • Graham Rogers • Kerry Barden • Sarah Siegel-Magness • Aly Michalka • Sam Trammell • Karen McCullah • Bobbi Sue Luther • Seth Jaret

Follows Augusta (Virginia Madsen), whose idyllic life in Connecticut is thrown into disarray when she discovers her husband’s extramarital affair. Augusta suffers a nervous breakdown after her husband leaves, and her good-hearted stoner son is determined to comfort her with the help of his estranged older brother (Zach Gilford) and live in girl-friend (Amanda Crew.)

With Alicia Witt • Maurice Compte • David W. Ross • Grant Bowler • Patricia Belcher • Jamie-Lynn Sigler • Glenn Gaylord

Jack (David W Ross) is a gay Brit living in New York. When his brother (Grant Bowler) gets killed in a car crash, Jack is left to raise his niece, Tara, with his sister-in-law Mya (Alicia Witt).

When Jack’s work visa is denied moving back to England isn’t an option. With Tara, now seven, and Mya, struggling through medical school, he can’t leave them behind. Faced with deportation and no other means to stay in America, Jack marries his lesbian best friend Ali (Jamie-Lynn Sigler). When Jack falls for a Spanish architect Mano (Maurice Compte), a U.S. citizen, and I.C.E officers detain and interview Ali and Jack, a terrified Ali files for divorce.

Mano, ready for commitment, believes he can marry Jack and keep him in the country. Their lawyer informs them that even though Mano is a citizen, immigration is a Federal level right not afforded to gay marriage on a State level. Jack will be deported unless he marries another woman.

With Gillian Anderson • Aidan Gillen • Clive Owen • Andrea Riseborough • James Marsh • Tom Bradby

Single mother Collette McVeigh is a Republican living in Belfast with her mother and hardliner IRA brothers. When she is arrested for her part in an aborted IRA bomb plot in London, an MI5 officer (Mac) offers her a choice: lose everything and go to prison for 25 years or return to Belfast to spy on her own family. With her son’s life in her hands, Collette chooses to place her trust in Mac and return home, but when her brothers’ secret operation is ambushed, suspicions of an informant are raised and Collette finds both herself and her family in grave danger.

With Alexander Skarsgard • Ellen Page • Tony Scott • Toby Kebbell • Aldis Hodge • Shiloh Fernandez • Patricia Clarkson • Billy Magnussen • Brit Marling • Julia Ormond • Michael Costigan • Zal Batmanglij

Sarah Moss (Marling) is a brilliant operative for an elite private intelligence firm whose top objective is to ruthlessly protect the interests of their A-list corporate clientele. She is assigned to go undercover to infiltrate an anarchist collective known for executing covert attacks upon major corporations. Living amongst them in an effort to get closer to their members, Sarah finds herself unexpectedly torn between two worlds as she starts to fall in love with the group's charismatic leader, finding her life and her priorities irrevocably changed.

With T.C. Christensen • Christina Torriente • Ron Tanner • Darin Southam • James Gaisford • Katherine Nelson • Travis Eberhard

From T.C. Christensen, director of the sensational pioneer film, 17 Miracles, comes the heroic true story of a simple man who was called to do the work of angels. Ephraim’s Rescue relates the story of Ephraim Hanks: a rescuer of the Martin Handcart company.

Follow Ephraim as his adventures lead him to join the Mormon Church and to ultimately lead one of the most heroic rescues in American history. With a unique desire to help and strengthen others, Ephraim learns that each choice we make can prepare us for what lies ahead. He discovers, through it all, that decisions determine destiny.